Anti-violence group gives out food to honor MLK, Jr.

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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – An Indianapolis group is fighting hunger and crime in honor of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.

The group No BOBS, which stands for “No Black On Black Slayings,” was braving the cold Monday hoping to make families less hungry and our streets safer.

Rita Keys needed some help and she found it, at the corner of 29th Street, and aptly enough, Martin Luther King, Jr. Street.

“I live around in the neighborhood,” said Keys, “it’s going to help me.”

This is how No BOBS said it’s continuing Dr. King’s mission of peace.

“Anyone can just talk about the problems, and say ‘What are you going to do about it?’” said the group’s founder, Derek Morris, “but it’s all about what can one person do, and a group of people do together and, pull together and bring people like this together?”

Morris thinks lending a hand here can help cut down on crime, since he says people who aren’t hungry are less likely to cause problems in the community.

“We just think that [by] giving out food in food deserts and high crime areas, we can reduce the crime a little bit in those areas,” said Morris.

They’ve partnered with Barnes United Methodist Church to hand out the essentials.

“Dr. Martin Luther King stood for freedom, peace and love and loving one another,” said Barnes United Methodist minister Lydia Davis, “and that’s what we’re out here for to just say ‘Here, here is food and how else can we help you?’”

Davis said the goal isn’t just filling stomachs. It’s bringing people face to face.

“We start with food, but it’s more so building relationships,” said Davis.

Community connections taking their cue from an icon honored on this day.